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By Aaron TAM

Hong Kong, China (AFP) -- Hong Kong pro-democracy group Occupy Central on Sunday launched a mass civil disobedience campaign for greater political freedoms from China, as defiant protesters stood their ground outside the city's government headquarters.

The youthful crowd had swelled on Saturday night to more than 10,000 people protesting against the Chinese government's refusal to grant full democracy to the semi-autonomous city, as a tense week of student-led demonstrations came to a climax.

There were scuffles with police overnight as lines of officers pushed back surging crowds with riot shields. Many protesters wore goggles and wrapped their faces in plastic film in case police used pepper spray, in a repeat of angry scenes earlier in the week.

Police made 74 arrests, urging those gathered in the "unlawful assembly" late Saturday to leave the area as soon as possible.

By Sunday the crowds had thinned to around 1,500 -- many of the students having camped out for a second night running -- as exhausted protesters returned home to sleep and shower, vowing to return later.

But the mellow mood of the morning -- with some protesters curled up asleep on the floor -- gave way to fresh frustration as police blocked hundreds of people from entering the protest zone.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said five people had been arrested, including three fellow legislators, for trying to bring in large loudspeakers they had been hoping to rig up onstage.

"We Hong Kong people are all ready to get arrested to increase the pressure on the government, to gain more bargaining power for the real democratic system," 20-year-old engineering student Peter Chan told AFP as he sat under the scorching sun, facing a line of police officers.

Young protesters steal the show

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HK activists launch mass pro-democracy campaign